I Like Me Better When I'm With You | Ackley Bridge

37|'I Don't Want A Crazy Daughter!'

"Oi, keep your hands to yourself!" I tell Aaron and Missy as I see them snogging next to his car. They jump apart at my voice, and me and Cory share a laugh at their embarrassed faces.

"Sling your hook, Aaron. Missy, go find Naz." I say with a smile, and they nod, sharing a final kiss before going their separate ways.

"Izzy?" Cory's hand waving in my face causes me to stop staring at Aaron's car as it leaves the school gate.

"What?"

"You were starring." He points out. "What's wrong?"

"I dunno. I just feel like there's summet off with that bloke." I state.

"What, Aaron?" He asks, and I nod in response, looking up at his contemplating look. "I guess he's a bit..."

"Innit." I agree.

"Yeah, well... Come on, let's get to class." He puts his arm around my shoulder, leading me in, but something catches my eye as we do.

"You, inside now." Mr Qureshi tells Jordan, and my face morphs into one of confusion.

What's he done now?

♡♥︎♡

"Just go over to him." Missy says, nudging me.

"What?" I ask her, confused.

"You've been staring at Jordan for the last ten minutes, so unless you want his burger, just go over and talk to him." She insists, and I roll my eyes.

"I don't wanna talk to him." I deny.

"Then stop bogging him out." She says, and I look down at my plate of chips, suddenly losing my appetite and pushing it away from me.

All of a sudden, Naz rushes to sit in front of us with a bright smile on her face.

"What you smiling at?" Me and Missy ask.

"Got myself a new dating app." She informs us giddily.

"Ooo~" Missy grabs her phone, and I peer over her shoulder at it.

"So if there's someone else on the app, then it shows up." Naz explains as she starts picking at my chips. "Probably won't come to owt, but..."

"Don't be so cynical." Missy tells her.

"You never know you might find the one on there." I tell her optimistically.

"Nah, all three of us know this town's a gay desert." Naz shakes her head.

"Always water in the desert." Missy reminds, earning a hum of acknowledgement from Naz. "If you're thirsty enough, you'll find it."

"Just how thirsty are ya, Nasreen?" I raise an eyebrow with a smirk at her.

"Hmm.." She downs the rest of her water with a small smile. "Ah, that thirsty!"

We all share a laugh but stop when we hear Naz's phone ding.

"Oo!" She says and checks her phone as it dings again, and again, and again.

"Jeez, Naz, you were thirsty, weren't ya?"

♡♥︎♡

"Izzy, please let me in, love." Mom begs, knocking on the door as me, Missy and Haylee watch telly. "Please, let's talk about this. I'm sorry."

I roll my eyes and storm over to the door and open it, looking her in the eye for the first time since I found out. "Izzy..."

"Stop." I stop her, and her arms fall to her sides. "Move, now. You're not coming in here. We'll go next door."